The long-standing silence from Andy Burnham, often dubbed the ‘King of the North,’ has definitively ended.

This dramatic development unfolds just a week after the Labour Party suffered a series of calamitous local election results, which saw the party besieged by Reform UK on the right and an insurgent Green Party on the left.

The electoral landscape of Greater Manchester and the wider United Kingdom was significantly reshaped overnight, immediately sparking conversations about Keir Starmer’s leadership and possible replacements, with Burnham’s name frequently emerging.

Following the elections, Labour MPs openly discussed the vulnerability of the leadership, with furious politicians blaming the Prime Minister for a lack of vision, slow delivery of promised change, repeated U-turns, and a perceived inability to fix underlying issues.

The Manchester Evening News captured the political mood with a front page declaring ‘Cometh The Hour’ alongside a picture of Mr Burnham, even as he was conveniently photographed scoring a goal at a charity football match in Moston, a striking contrast to the embattled Prime Minister.

Despite intense speculation and anonymous briefings about Burnham securing a parliamentary seat, and even an MP preparing to step down for him, specific denials followed from Bootle MP Peter Dowd, and Manchester MPs Afzal Khan (Rusholme) and Jeff Smith (Withington).

Burnham’s preference, revealed by the Manchester Evening News, was to become a Manchester MP and, ultimately, a Manchester Prime Minister.

The deafening silence from Manchester persisted even as 92 bruising resignations and numerous letters flowed from across the Labour Party spectrum.

However, the political landscape shifted dramatically today. Earlier, Wes Streeting, a prominent figure widely seen as a potential future Prime Minister, resigned as Health Secretary.

He stated it would be “dishonourable and unprincipled” to continue under Sir Keir, urging him to allow the “best possible field of candidates” to run for leadership, implicitly endorsing Burnham.

Streeting’s damning resignation letter lamented a “vacuum” where vision was needed, and while praising Starmer’s ‘courage and statesmanship,’ he explicitly declared, ‘it is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next General Election.’

The turning point came when Josh Simons announced on X that he was stepping down to allow Andy Burnham to contest the Makerfield by-election and return to Parliament.

Minutes later, Burnham confirmed he would seek permission from Labour’s NEC to stand for the seat.

In his statement, Burnham highlighted his deep local roots and contrasted what he described as failed national politics with his decade-long record as Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Andy Burnham’s attempt to return to Parliament focuses on Makerfield, a seat long considered a Labour stronghold.

However, recent local elections exposed Labour’s weakening grip after Reform UK dominated Wigan borough, winning 24 of 25 contested council seats and outperforming Labour heavily across Makerfield.

Compared to the 2024 general election, Labour lost around 10,000 votes, meaning Burnham would need a major swing to reclaim the seat.

Residents in Ashton-in-Makerfield had mixed reactions. Some praised Burnham’s leadership style and believed he could reconnect with voters and address issues like immigration, while others supported him mainly to stop Reform UK.

Despite dissatisfaction with Labour leader Keir Starmer, several lifelong Labour supporters said they still would not vote for Reform.

Despite the mixed reactions, Labour insiders believe Andy Burnham’s strong popularity in Greater Manchester and his deep local roots could help reconnect with voters who have drifted away from the party.

Critics, however, argue that Labour has lost touch with working-class communities, while Reform UK’s growing support and local frustrations over issues like the Clean Air Zone threaten Burnham’s chances.

With politics in the North reaching a turning point, the upcoming by-election is expected to be one of the most closely watched contests in the United Kingdom.